Chris Katulka: Thanks for joining us for The Friends of Israel Today. I'm Chris Katulka, your host and teacher. Now listen, before we get started, I want to encourage you to go to our website foiradio.org. There you can listen to over nine years worth of content right there on the site. Hey, listen, it's free. Take it. Please go to foiradio.org. And while you're there, be sure to leave us a message. You can contact us that way. Let us know what you think of The Friends of Israel Today radio program. We'd love to hear from you. 

Now today we're actually going to start a three part series on 2nd Thessalonians. And it's a perfect three-part series. You know why? There's only three chapters in 2nd Thessalonians, so we're going to look at each chapter each week and today we're going to see the justice of God in prophecy. So you're going to want to stick around for that. But before we get there, first let's look at what's happening in the news.

After the assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, Iran and Hezbollah have promised to strike Israel. US Secretary Antony Blinken told the G7 nations on a call that this could happen as early as Monday. That's today as we're recording this. The purpose of Blinken's call was to allegedly coordinate the United States' closest allies and to put diplomatic pressure on Iran and Hezbollah to minimize their retaliatory actions. Well, here's my take. Now more than ever, Israel needs your prayers. There's an unholy alliance between Iran, Turkey and Russia. An alliance that the prophet Ezekiel saw in Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39. Israel remains in an existential fight for its life, so please pray for the peace of Jerusalem now more than ever.

Chris Katulka: I've heard it said many times that one-third of the Bible is prophecy in order to highlight the significance of prophecy in the Scriptures and why we should study God's prophetic word. But you know what? I want to go one step further. See, I believe every bit of the Bible, all 100% is prophetic. When we say just one-third of the Bible is prophecy, we tend to see prophecy as just the future events that await us. And that's true. But if we see the entire Bible as God's prophetic word to us, then prophecy not only is the way that we see the future unfolding, but also the way we as Christians think about today and how we live our lives in relationship to the Lord. The moment that Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the world, God immediately turned all of Scripture into prophecy.

In Genesis 3:15, right from the very beginning, God set forth a prophecy of the serpent's demise. That's Satan. He said, "And I will put hostility or enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring and he will strike your head and you will strike his heel." Look, everything in the Bible stems from that prophecy. The unfolding revelation of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is prophetic. It's accomplishing the prophecy God set out from Genesis 3:15. A descendant of Eve, that would be Jesus, will crush the serpent's head, bringing an end to Satan's dominion and that serpent will only get an opportunity to strike at his heel. To me, it's an image of the cross. Death did not take over Christ in the grave. After the cross, he rose victoriously. Satan, he only got a strike at his heel. But my point is that from Genesis 3:15 flows out an unfolding prophecy of God's plan to take back what is rightfully his from Satan.

It's not just one-third of the Bible, it's the whole thing. Prophecies in the stories of Noah, Abraham, Moses and David, it's in the prayers that were prayed in the Book of Psalms. Prophecy is seen in the gospels as Jesus walked the Earth. And in the Book of Acts, as the early church is established. Prophecy is embedded in the words of Paul, Peter, John, and the rest. And then the Bible ends with Revelation giving us a picture of what's to come. Again, 100% of the Bible is prophetic. This is why we're going to focus on 2nd Thessalonians for the next three weeks. A false teaching about prophecy concerning the return of Christ had crept into the church in Thessalonica. Paul had recently heard news about the conditions of the church and this news probably came to him from a messenger who delivered Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians and returned to Corinth.

Some of the news about the church was good. That Thessalonians were continuing to grow and to remain faithful to Christ in spite of persecution. But some of the news concerned Paul, false teaching concerning the Day of the Lord, which is a prophetic event, had entered the church and was causing confusion and leading some of the Christians to even quit their jobs in expectation of the Lord's return. In view of these reports, Paul felt convicted to write this epistle. Scholars placed the date of the composition of this letter in the early 50s AD. And would make this epistle actually the third of Paul's canonical writings, if we're assuming that Galatians was his first. Paul opens his letter to the Thessalonians saying in 2nd Thessalonians chapter one starting in verse three, he says this, 'We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters. And rightly so because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is even greater. As a result, we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring."

Listen to that. Paul is so proud of the Thessalonians for their perseverance and faith in persecutions and afflictions, he says. Now this probably isn't one particular form of persecution that would lead to maybe death or martyrdom, which the church did face during the life of Paul. But this was probably more persecution of severe social harassment or ostracism from the community. Paul says the same thing in Thessalonians one verse six when he writes, "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you receive the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit despite great affliction. Instead of abandoning the faith, the Thessalonians have shown a spirit of perseverance." Now again, this is where prophecy meets the everyday life of a believer in Thessalonica and for us. The Apostle to the Gentiles ties prophecy with the Thessalonians' persecution.

Listen to what he says here starting in verse five in 2nd Thessalonians chapter one. He says, "This is evidence of God's righteous judgment to make you worthy of the kingdom of God for which in fact you are suffering. For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you. And to you who are being afflicted, to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels." Paul understood that those who persevere through suffering today will be on the winning side of God's righteous judgment in the future. It's interesting as the Thessalonians are facing social harassment and ostracism, Paul doesn't tell them to rise up against their enemies. In fact, in 1st Thessalonians chapter four, Paul will encourage the believers to lead a quiet life, "To attend to your own business." He says. "And to work with your hands. In this way," he writes, "You will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need."

Why doesn't Paul tell them to push back against their suffering? Well, first their suffering is shaping them, Paul says. Molding them, making them worthy of the kingdom of God. A prophetic promise for believers even today. Your suffering as a believer today isn't a mistake. These trials actually demonstrate one's worthiness, Paul says, of the kingdom of God. Now hear me out. A believer is made worthy of heaven by God's grace, which he receives as a free gift by faith in Jesus Christ. Trials, however, expose what is there already. And since the character that emerges through the fire of testing is God-given, guess what? God receives the glory. But what's important to see is that God doesn't ignore your suffering today. If you ever wonder if God hears you in your trials, Paul tells you God hears you loud and clear and his righteous judgment is coming.

See, prophecy isn't just one-third of the Bible. It's bound up in the life of every believer enduring and persevering through trials, tribulations and sufferings. When will that happen? It says it right there in 2nd Thessalonians chapter one starting in verse seven. It says this, "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, with flaming fire, he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength. When he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among whom all have believed and you did in fact believe our testimony."

"And in this regard, Paul says, "We pray for you always that our God will make you worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness in every work of faith. That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." Wow. When we come back, we're going to highlight more of this concept of God's vindication. Do you hear that? The vindication for those suffering. And the call for us to endure despite the never ending pressures to abandon our faith.

Steve Conover: Hey Chris, did you know that August is Make-a-Will Month?

Chris Katulka: Believe it or not, Steve, I did. And that's why it's so important to make time to consider your future planning, especially since it's so easy to put off until another day.

Steve Conover: I agree, Chris. And it's why it excites me that The Friends of Israel has partnered with the online estate planning tool, FreeWill, to enable you to write your legal will for free. In as little as 20 minutes online, you can create an estate plan to protect your assets, support the people and organizations that you love, and have the opportunity to include a legacy gift in your plans.

Chris Katulka: When the Katulka family was planning our will, I wish I would've known about FreeWill. And so we hope that you'll join us on Make-a-Will Month. To get started on writing your legal free will today, go to foi.org/yourfreewill. Again, that's foi.org/yourfreewill.

Chris Katulka: Welcome back everyone. We're continuing through our first part of a three-part series on 2nd Thessalonians. And something I want to really stress in this first part is the idea that prophecy shouldn't be allocated to just one-third of the Bible as many people like to point out. But that prophecy is embedded all throughout the Scriptures. It's in the narrative portions of the Scriptures. It's in the Psalms, the poetry of the Bible. It's in the letters and epistles written by New Testament writers. Listen, 2nd Thessalonians chapter one is a perfect example of the Apostle Paul weaving prophecy into our everyday life as followers of Jesus.

The Thessalonians were suffering. They faced immense persecution through social harassment and ostracism. But Paul praised them for their endurance and their perseverance. In fact, he linked their suffering to God's justice, his coming justice. It's an age-old question in the Scriptures actually. Even the prophet Jeremiah asked God in Jeremiah chapter 12 verse one, "Lord, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you, however I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are the wicked people successful? Why do all the dishonest people have such easy lives?" Jeremiah asks, "Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?" I love Jeremiah's approach to the Lord here. He says that you have always been fair to me whenever I complain to you. I love that. That word fair in Hebrew is actually the word for righteous. Which means that God has always answered and responded to Jeremiah truthfully whenever he complained. But Jeremiah is complaining about divine justice. He's complaining about it.

The rest of chapter 12 in Jeremiah is him complaining about the upside-down nature of God's justice. God responds to Jeremiah, but the answer is more clear right here in 2nd Thessalonians chapter one. Prophecy isn't just about the unfolding events that are yet to take place on a chart. The sequence of events like the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Third Temple, the return of Christ, the Millennial Kingdom. These prophetic events have meaning to the everyday life of a believer, especially for those suffering today. They're not just a sequence of events, but they actually have deep meaning. The Rapture, the Tribulation, the Third Temple, the return of Christ, the Millennial Kingdom are all about God's divine justice and vindication to those who cry out, "How long, oh Lord?" Maybe you've said those same words. It says right there in 2nd Thessalonians one verse seven, "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."

"They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength. And when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed and you did in fact believe our testimony." Paul will take this even further in his letter to the Romans when he writes this in chapter eight. "For I consider that our present sufferings cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. For creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of God who subjected it in hope that creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God's children. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also who have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies, for in hope we were saved."

Now, hope that is seen is not hope because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance, perseverance. God, the righteous judge, will vindicate those who have trusted him. That's what Paul is saying. What a fresh reminder for us today. If you're suffering, if you're facing a trial and you're questioning whether or not God hears you or even cares, hey, be like Jeremiah. That's right. Did you hear what he said? "Whenever I complained to you, you have always been fair." Cry out to God in your suffering. He hears you. He is righteous in his response. But know this much,  All of the questions that you have today will be answered when God brings his divine justice in the future. Studying God's prophetic word should force us to see beyond our suffering. That's what it's there for, to give us hope that strengthens us to persevere just like the Thessalonians. To an endurance that knows that in the end God's justice will be vindicated in us.

Steve Conover: Israel, on the verge of becoming a state, a teenage Holocaust survivor arrives on her shores alone. His name is Zvi Kalisher. Little did he know his search for a new life in the holy land would lead him to the Messiah. Zvi, enthusiastic to share his faith, engaged others in spiritual conversations, many of which can be found in our magazine, Israel My Glory. While Zvi is now in the presence of his savior, his collected writings from well over 50 years of ministry continue to encourage believers worldwide. Now Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life of Zvi.

Mike Kellogg: One week a neighbor came to my home to confront me about my faith in Christ. He was not friendly and sure he could outsmart me. He began to insult me and then he asked, "What is the greatest wisdom on Earth? Since you say you worship God, tell me what the Bible says." I replied, "You call yourself a good man who worships the Lord. You tell me what the Bible says." "But I want you to give me the answer." He said. "What does God want us to do?" I told him I would indeed answer him from the Bible and I said, "You spent your life reading fictitious stories composed by rabbis rather than following God's Word. You think you are wise, but you are far from faith in the Lord." He said, "I know you believe in this one." He meant Jesus.

Soon, his friends arrived. Now he was even more confident. One asked, "Show us about whom you have believed. Is he mentioned in the Bible?" "Ah, now we have come to an important point." I said. And I read to them from Isaiah 53, "But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him. And by his stripes we are healed." Immediately they all began jumping up and down. One demanded, "Where is this written in the Bible? You've made this up. If our rabbis were here, they would put you in your place." I answered, "I did not write the Bible. Read this for yourself." I handed them my Bible. So they began to read and they began to open their eyes and with time their hearts. After a while, one said, "You must be a man of wisdom. So do you have a good answer for us about wisdom?" "My answer is also from the Bible." I replied. So I read, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

They asked me many questions and wanted to know where I learned about faith. I told them, "I read the Bible. And because I know the Lord I am full of wisdom and try to do his will." I also told them, he told his servants, "Go your way. Behold I send you out as lambs among wolves." And then they became angry and hostile. "But people who believe in this one as you do are no longer Israelis and have no right to be here." "Is that so? You say you are such faithful Israelis. Have you fought for this country in all the many wars we've had? Did you fight in the War of Independence in 1948?"

Of course, none of them fought in any wars because the ultra-Orthodox do not join the military. "I suppose you will tell us you took part in all those wars." One said sarcastically. So I showed them my army papers. Then they began to listen more intently and ask many questions. And they also wanted to know how I came to know Jesus as my savior. So I opened my Bible and taught them about the one who was wounded for their transgressions. We had a long conversation. It was a big surprise and a welcome one.

Chris Katulka: The impact of Zvi's life in ministry in Israel, it didn't end when he went home to be with the Lord. In fact, Zvi's legacy lives on. Our Friends of Israel Ministry representatives continue to share the gospel in Jerusalem, Israel and really all throughout the world. We also serve Holocaust survivors and their families. We provide free food, medicine and clothing and we even promote the safety and security of the state of Israel and the Jewish people everywhere. So when you give to The Friends of Israel, your donation actually allows us to advance the gospel of our Messiah, Jesus. You can give online by visiting foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. You can click right there on our donate link. Also, be sure to let us know where you listen when you contact us.

Chris Katulka: Thank you for joining us today on this episode of The Friends of Israel Today. Next week we're going to pick up in 2nd Thessalonians chapter two and we'll be looking at the man of lawlessness. That's right, Paul begins to highlight some of the sequences of events that take place in the future. And so we're going to be looking specifically at 2nd Thessalonians chapter two. Now, listen, during these challenging times in Israel, it's absolutely crucial to deepen our understanding of biblical teaching about Israel and the Jewish people. Listen, we just heard that Israel could be at war very soon, with Iran and maybe other nations as well. I hope that you believe that FOI Radio provides the essential teaching of timeless truths and support for our Jewish friends. Would you please consider making a donation to help us continue this vital work and to reach more lives with the biblical message of God's heart for Israel and the Jewish people? To give, please visit foiradio.org and click on our donate button. Again, that's foiradio.org.

You can also reach us at our mailing address, which is FOI Radio PO Box 914 Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio PO Box 914 Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Write to us, let us know what you think of the program. Our web address is foiradio.org or you can call our listener line at (888) 343-6940. Again, that's (888) 343-6940. I'm Chris Katulka, your host and teacher. Today's program was produced by Tom Gallione. Edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. Steve Conover is our executive producer. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.